Self-sealing can.



No. 633,653. Patented Sept. 26, I899.

- D. MACDONALD.

SELF SEALING CAN.

(Application filed Oct. 21, 1898) (No Model.)

MMML 17 imam! Unirrnn Srn'rns ATENT price.

DAVID MACDONALD, OF TORONTO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO YVILLIAM TASSIE TASSIE, OF SAME PLACE.

SELF-SEALING CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,653, dated September 26, 1899.

Application filed O r 21,1898. Serial No. 694,218- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID MAcDoNALn, manufacturer, of the city of Toronto, in the county of York and Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Sealing Cans, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of package for paints, jellies, 810., known as selfsealing cans that is, cans in which the cover is held in position without the use of solder and has for its object the production of a can or other vessel which while absolutely tight when sealed can be easily and quickly opened without injury to the cover and when opened is absolutely free from internal circular project-ions or flanges; and it consists,essentially,- of a can-body with an enlarged rim, a cover with an annular recess formed therein, the sides of which are adapted to embrace the rim, and of a screw threaded through the cover and adapted to engage a lug upon the side of the body.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved can. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the under side of the lid, partly broken away to expose a section of the rim. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper portion of the body of the can. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail showing the lid placed in position for the operation of sealing the can. view showing the lid in the position in which it appears when the can is sealed.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

A is the body of the can, with the enlarged rim B preferably formed by turning outward the upper edge of the body in a roll circular in cross-section.

Ois the cover, the edge of which is so shaped as to form the upwardly-turned flange D and the downwardly-turned flange E, inclosing between them the annular recess F,.the bottom of which in cross-section is preferably substantially similarly curved to the top of the rim B.

G is a lug, preferably bracket shaped, which is connected to the side of the can in any suitable manner.

III is a nut securely soldered to the lid.

Fig. 5 is a similar Through this nut is threaded the screw 1, which when the can is closed should be directly above the lug G.

Before-the cover is placed in position on the can a flat annular strip of packing, such as cardboard, is inserted within the annular recess F, as shown in Fig. 4.

J are the pail-ears,which having been previously patented do not require special descrip-' tion in the present application.

\Vhen the can is to be sealed, the cover is placed in position, as shown in Fig. 4, and by means of any suitable press forced down into the position shown in Fig. 5. As the flange E is of such a diameter as to fit tightly within the body A of the can and as the flange D is made to tightly embrace the enlarged rim B, the lid is very securely held in position by the frictional-contact between the parts mentioned. Under most circumstances the fit will also be air and water tight; but I deem it desirable to use the packing-strip of card, as previously described. \Vhen the cover is forced down into the sealed position, this flat cardboard strip is bent around the curved upper surface of the rim B and very effectively seals the joint between the flange D p and body A and between the flange E and the side of the rim B. It also fills up the space between the top of the rim and the bottom of the annular recess F. It Will be found that the can is now so securely held that great difficulty would be experienced in opening it unless special means were provided for that purpose. The screw I and the lug G furnish the means desired. By turning the screw I by means of a screw-driver one edge of the lid is quickly raised again to substantially the position shown in Fig. at, when the lid may readily be removed. As the lid has not been dam aged in any way in the process of removal, it is easily placed in position again by hand if it he desiredto again seal the can.

Many variations of construction might of course be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not desire to limit myself to the use of the precise construction shown.

While in general the whole can will be formed of sheet metal, yet any material may be used for the body of the can and also for the cover, the only limitation being that the flanges at the edge of the cover be of some material of a springy or slightly stretchable nature,so that they may be forced over the rim of the body and will then firmly embrace it.

From the above description it will be seen that I have devised a self-sealing can which is very simple and cheap in construction, which can be easily and rapidly sealed, which when sealed will be absolutely air and water proof, and which may be unsealed at any time without destroying the serviceableness of the cover for future use. It will further be noticed that the inside of the body of the can has no circular flanges or projections at the top, as is the case with ordinary self-sealing cans. Thus the can is very easily emptied and easily cleaned.

I am aware that it is not new to make a cantop with an annular roll at its upper edge and provide a cover for said can which has an annnlarly-grooved portion at its top to fit the said annular groove of the can-such, for instance, as shown in the United States Patent No. 254,706; but I regard my invention as essentially and materially different therefrom, inasmuch as in said patent the cover is not made to spring over and hold itself onto the can, but is provided with independent means for locking the cover to the can. I am also aware that there are quite a number of patents showing devices where one grooved part is adapted to spring over and fasten itself on another grooved partsuch, for example, as those shown in United States Patents Nos. (54,705 and 178,622; but these patents do not show a cover provided with a flange which accurately fits the inside of the can, and thus helps to decrease the chance for leakage.

hat I claim as my invention is 1. In a self-sealin g can a body provided with an enlarged rim, in combination with a cover having an annular recess formed around its edge, the sides of which are adapted to tightly embrace the aforesaid rim; a lug fast on the side of the body; and a screw threaded through the cover and adapted to engage the said lug, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a self-sealing can a body and a cover held upon the body by frictional engagement between suitably-shaped portions of the body and cover; a lug fast on the side of the body; and a screw threaded through the cover and adapted to engage the said lug, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In a self-sealing can,a body provided With an outwardly-turned enlarged rim of curved section as to its upper surface; in combination with a cover having an annular recess formed around its edge curved in section to fit the aforesaid rim, and having its sides adapted to tightly embrace the rim; an annular strip of normally flat packing placed within the recess; a lug fast on the side of the body; and a screw threaded through the cover and adapted to engage the said lug,

4. In a self-sealing can, the body A, provided with an outwardly-turned enlarged rim B, curved in section as to its upper surface, in combination with the cover 0; the upwardly-turned flange D, formed on the cover and adapted to fit closely within the body A; the flange E, formed on the cover and so shaped as to tightly embrace the rim B, and also to form the recess F, with curved bottom; the nut H, secured to the cover; the screw I, threaded through the nut and the lug G, secured to the side of the body, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

Toronto, September 18, 1898.

DAVID MACDONALD. In presence of J. M. ADAM, (J. H. NORTON.

substantially as and for the purpose speci- 

